Chapter 348: Just How Far DoesThe Manipulation Go?

"All this happened?"

Catherine asked with a frown as she finished listening to what all Marlene and Austin went through,

"Yes, but how were you even taken down?"

Marlene asked to which Catherine's expression turned dark,

"Nick, he betrayed us, I fell into a trap, I didn't even see it coming"

"Nick betrayed me?"

Marlene asked with a daze, her expression turning lost, while immense sadness filled her face,

'Looks like that information is still true'

Austin thought as he looked at the defeated expression of Marlen, Nick Leviathan, the younger brother of Marlene, Austin still remembers him as he was the one that had to lead his way when he first came to meet Marlene and Catherine.

And he had long since known of his treacherous thoughts, in fact, in the game it was in this scenario, beaten, tired, broken that Marlene comes to know about her younger brother's betrayal but in the game, it was in different situations, it hadn't taken place now, no it had taken place in the place inside the sea.

Where the main character and Marlene sought it out, in truth there wasn't any situation for Marlene in here within the realm, yet everything had changed, not only was Marlene facing death now but Catherine was pulled into the boat, also the super hidden truth about Nick's betrayal was brought into the light early, many things had changed,

'But my objective till now hasn't'

Thinking so a surprised face took place on Austin's as he looked at Catherine,

"You mean the younger prince?"

Austin asked and Catherine nodded her head with a heavy heart, she too had thought of Nick as her own little brother, his betrayal has hit her hard, and that was the main reason she had fallen, Catherine was cunning by nature and calculative towards her enemy but she was 100% trusting of the ones she deemed allies,

'This situation will change her'

Austin once again thought as he looked at the hurt Catherine who was biting her lips hard, in the game, it was the player's duty to make her see the light while taking her heart too,

'But the situation isn't as dire as the game'

"Sigh...come here"

Saying so Austin didn't even give time for the two women to react before which they were pulled into his embrace, Marlene with the seal had become utterly powerless while Catherine seems to have some sort of position in her that was killing her, she had kept it hidden but Austin felt it.

A situation rose where Marlene fell onto his right shoulder, leaning on, while Catherine fell to his left, his hands didn't do anything inappropriate. Austin looked at Marlene first his eyes gentle as he spoke, his voice gentle, while a smile that displayed pain of the past filled his face,

"Please cry, don't hold it in, by not crying you aren't becoming weak, it just shows how strong you are, for the pain of betrayal is too painful to be held back"

Austin's words along with his gestures were heartbreaking, till now whenever he spoke to Marlene, he would have a smile, a calm look, or a teasing flirty appearance but for the first time Marlene saw different complex feelings from Austin, shocking her,

'Just how much pain are you hiding?'

Marlene asked herself, her mind flashing to the previous interaction where she saw his bitter smile, right now Marlene was completely devastated, ever since entering the realm she faced betrayal, her people whom she had fought for, whom she led were pointing their weapons at her, possible desiring her demise.

It would be a lie if she said that it didn't hurt, from then onwards things had derailed from how everything should be, a seal was placed on her that almost lead to her demise, and her powers kept depleting down and down making her weak and to add insult to injury her little brother whom she took care of had betrayed her.....

Marlene is tough, she had fought battles and as the future ruler her mind is in no way weak, she had been trained to not let her weakness flow but even all things considered she was, in the end, a woman of age 20, every being has a limit and she had reached this limit now.

It was the group of impossible incidents that had led up to this, even if she was broken Marlene wouldn't have leaned into another for warmth and words but the weakening of her powers affected Marlene more deeply than she imagined, to feel herself weak, caused a crack in her mentality and that lead to tears.

Under the disbelieving eyes of Catherine small pools of tears started to fall down Marlene's face, she didn't call out in injustice nor did she cry out hard, in fact, Marlene has long forgotten when she had cried but when it started to, it was a dam that didn't seem to want to hold back, seeing it Austin didn't say anything as he made her lean to his shoulder.

The dampness filling his dress, her body weakly leaning onto his, it was not just tears for the current situation but tears of the past too, Austin just gazed at it with silence,

'Here goes another'

Austin thought that by now he should have been immune to the tears he causes these girls but no the hypocritic guilt he feels still lay, knowing especially that this woman would spend the rest of her life with him.

No one could see it but the situation till here was led by him, how did an organization get such a lost powerful seal that could only be used a single time? why did the plans of the ones opposing Marlene's rule take action now? where did their confidence grow from? who pushed Nick to take action now?

Who gave away the poison that was capable of keeping down such a powerful mermaid? how was it that Marlene was growing weaker? who gave away the details of this realm such that different powerful hidden organizations might now take action?

Such powerful secrets, just who could hold them?

'Everything is going well'

Austin's eyes turned cold for a moment before disappearing, all around the ones thinking they are in control ran a hidden hand, like puppets everyone without knowing dancing to his tunes, Austin had thought back deep and hard, what he played back on earth was a game, where he was in control but in reality, it won't stay as such for long for deviations will occur.

Back on earth Austin played lots of games that required choice or gave a high level of control over the targets, he played them all because within his heart hidden away, he loves to control...

It was a feeling that had grown ever since he had reached this world.

Changes will happen? then it shall be because he wished so.

This was also added to the guilt of what he was doing, a mismatch of his desires, but Austin had learned to overcome them, his eyes then turning to Catherine, the chaos he was going to spread was just beginning.